But that could wait for a better time.
“You okay?” he asked her.
“Yes. I’m . . . more than okay, actually.” She shook herself and focused on him. “Are you okay?”
“I have some questions for you, but let’s address that later.”
“Questions?”
“Later, okay?”
She frowned. “Yeah, sure. Can you tell me how Julianna and the others are?”
“I texted Julianna while doing my best not to interrupt your conversation with a punch to Bishop’s face. She said she was fine. Her wound was merely a graze. Marty’s is a bit more serious and he’s still in surgery. Gus too.”
Penny eyed him, her brows drawn tight. “Then let’s change and warm up. You can use the men’s locker and I’ll find you some scrubs for now. Once we’re human again, we can head down to the waiting room.”
“Thanks.” He followed her down the hall. “That worked out well.”
“What? Oh, with Dr. Kirkpatrick? Yes. For now. As soon as I step outside the hospital, I’m sure the media will be waiting to pounce once again.”
“Can you slip out the back way?”
“I can try.”
He fell silent a moment, then decided to ask the question burning a hole in his brain. “Your mom is Geneva Queen?”
She raised a brow at him. “You didn’t know?”
“No.”
“How did you not know? I figured you’d done a full background check on me.”
He wasn’t sure if she was kidding or not.
“Dumb joke,” she said. “Sorry.”
He laughed but heard the strain in it. “Just because I can doesn’t mean I do. Besides, it’s a violation of FBI policy and state law.” Not that there weren’t ways around that, but he’d never felt comfortable using his job for that kind of thing. He knew others who did it, of course, but . . . not him. He liked his privacy and tried to respect others’ right to the same.
“I wasn’t serious, Holt. I know you wouldn’t do that. You’re an honorable man.”
“I do my best.” But one thing he would do would be a background check on Mike Bishop. Holt didn’t feel one iota of guilt for that plan. The man had made a possible threat against Penny, and while Holt wasn’t exactly happy with her at the moment, he couldn’t simply dismiss Bishop’s words. He needed to know what he was working with. All talk and no action—or something more sinister?
They arrived at the entrance to the locker rooms. Men’s on the right, women’s on the left. And a supply closet in the middle. She showed him where everything was, got him a pair of scrubs, and promised to meet him in fifteen minutes back in front of the closet.
Holt decided he’d never enjoyed a shower more, but he was anxious to check on his friends—and talk to Penny in depth. Not that anything would have changed since Julianna had texted him, but he’d feel better being there when Marty and Gus came out of surgery. He could write up his report while he waited.
As the steaming water beat down on his shoulders, he curled his fingers into fists and tried to block the flickering images from just a few hours ago. He’d thought his time had come. If it hadn’t been for Penny . . .
His anger with her faded. She had her reasons for not telling him about her mother. He didn’t like it because it meant she hadn’t trusted him enough to share that with him and . . . it stung.
But Darius Rabor was dead. He could quit seeing the man in his head. And his nightmares. It was finally over.
He pressed his palms to his eyes and whispered a short but heartfelt prayer of thanks that he and Penny were alive and unhurt. Then said another prayer for his friends before turning off the water.
He had a report to write, a conversation to have with Penny. Then, depending on how that talk went, he could work on forgetting today ever happened.
CHAPTER
SIX
Penny and Holt stepped into the surgery waiting room. She noticed a group of agents in the far right corner huddled together and talking, others pacing from one end of the area to the other. Julianna, a bandage on her arm, sat in one of the chairs. Penny was sure they were all waiting to hear more about Marty and Gus.
To her left, she found Raina and Holly talking with a couple in their forties. Mr. and Mrs. Gentry, she’d be willing to guess. The woman was too thin, her makeup tear-streaked. Her raccoon eyes met Penny’s and widened. “You’re the pilot.”
“I am.”
A sob slipped from Mrs. Gentry’s lips, and she stepped forward to enfold Penny in a tight hug. “I can’t believe everything you went through to get my girl here alive.”
Penny frowned and met Holt’s gaze, hoping he could see the question in her eyes. How does she know what I did?
Holt gave a subtle nod toward the television hanging in the corner. The news. Of course.
When Mrs. Gentry stepped back, Penny patted her arm. “I’m so glad she made it to surgery. Is there any update on her prognosis?”
“They think she’ll pull through,” Mr. Gentry said. “It’s been touch and go, but she’s my girl and she’s hanging tough.” His voice choked on the last word and he blinked his red-rimmed eyes. “We’ll never be able to thank you and the others enough for all you’ve done.”
The waiting room attendant stood and motioned to the Gentrys. “I’ve got an update for you.”
Claire’s parents excused themselves and hurried over. Penny’s gaze stayed on the television, reading the captions running across the bottom of the screen while she absently spun the watch on her wrist.
She recognized Mr. Benson, the friendly neighbor who’d given her the satellite phone. “. . . such a sweet lady. Very concerned for her patient and coworkers. The fact that she was willing to brave that terrible storm and possibly head into the path of a serial killer is just incredible. I only talked to her for less than five minutes, but it was enough to know she’s an amazing person.”
The screen switched to the woman whose home she’d broken into. “I couldn’t believe it. I came home ready to lock up and get my gun in case that serial killer showed up and, instead, found a Life Flight helicopter pilot desperate to find a way to save her patient and coworkers. Truly incredible. It did my heart good to know there are still people like her in the world. And then to hear that she was attacked and fought back? And actually escaped him? Oh, my word. I simply couldn’t believe it. But then again, she’s hero material, so I don’t know why I’d be surprised. I’m so glad she’s okay and that killer is dead. And I had no idea that she was Geneva Queen’s daughter. That’s just wild.”
Holt stood beside her and she looked up at him. “Are you kidding me?” she whispered.
“It’s been running on a loop for the past thirty minutes,” Raina said. “The interviews and the footage of you and Holt entering the hospital.” She gave a disgusted grunt. “Can you believe those questions?” She twisted her lips into a frown. “Crazy.”
“Great. Just great. This is all simply fabulous.” How was this going to affect her job? Her life?
The screen flashed to the footage Raina had mentioned, and Penny gasped. “I look like a drowned rat.” She glanced at Holt. “So do you.”
“Thanks.”
Holly giggled, then quickly straightened her face at Penny’s scowl. “Sorry.” She shrugged. “But you’re right. You both look soggy and miserable.”
“There’s a reason for that.”
Holt touched her shoulder. “I’m going over to that crowd to see if I can find out about Gus and Marty.”
“Marty’s was a flesh wound,” Holly said. “Gus’s is more serious. But they were both alive when we got here.”
“Thank you.” He glanced at the others. “I’ll be back.”
He left them and Penny turned her attention back to the television. Ugh. Unable to watch it anymore, she looked at Raina. “You and Holly deserve the spotlight, not me. You kept Claire alive. All I did was get wet.”
“And fight off a serial killer,” Raina said, her t
one wry.
And the man was dead because of it. She still couldn’t find it in her to be terribly grieved about it. The only thing she really felt bad about was that he wouldn’t go back to prison and spend whatever remained of his life waiting to die.
Waiting to take that walk down death row to the execution chamber.
Waiting to feel the prick of the needle for the IV that would deliver the drugs that would still his evil heart forever.
Thinking about his decisions to take others’ lives, regret his choices, make restitution.
Not that he could have ever done anything to make up for the grief and sorrow he’d caused or that she wouldn’t have nightmares about the whole thing. But . . .
“You okay?” Holly asked.
“I’m . . . managing.”
“Yeah.”
“What about you? You guys were shot at too.”
“Same as you. Managing.”
Penny’s phone buzzed and she glanced at the screen with a silent groan, then declined the call and shut the device off. Her mother would just keep calling until Penny answered, and she simply could not deal with her right now.
She spied Holt talking to Julianna. “I’m going to go tell her thank you,” she said.
“Sure.”
Penny made her way over to the group of agents and stepped in front of Julianna, then bent to hug her. “How are you?”
Julianna squeezed her tight. “I’m okay. A barely there graze. Like a bad scrape that didn’t even need stitches. Stings like crazy, though. The doc’s already cleared me to go back to work. I’ll pick back up with the training class again on Monday. You?”
Penny grimaced. “I’ve been better, but I’m grateful you and the others arrived when you did. Things could have gone very differently.”
“I’m thankful as well. You did amazing out there.”
“Thank you. Any news on Marty and Gus?” She really didn’t want to talk about herself.
“We had an update not too long ago. Marty’s doing fine and being his ornery self.” She paused for a sip of her coffee. “Gus is hanging in there. How’s your patient?”
“Same as Gus, from what I understand. Holding on for now.”
Julianna studied her. “I’m glad. I’m going to head back over to Raina and Holly, but I wanted to check on you.”
Compassion shimmered in her friend’s kind blue eyes. Julianna’s eyes were one of the first things she’d noticed about her when they’d met ten years ago. “I’m fine,” Penny said. “We’ll get together soon. I’ve missed our chats.”
“Promise?”
“Absolutely.”
Penny walked back to find the Gentrys smiling and making phone calls. Relief swamped her. It was easy to assume the doctor had given them a good report.
And now it was time for her to go have her cry and crash into sleep. And pray no nightmares came her way. Present ones or ones from the past.
From the corner of his eye, Holt saw Penny leave. Her friends followed and he couldn’t decide whether he should go after her or not. She kept him off balance—which was one of the things that intrigued him about her.
Usually, he had no problem reading people, but with Penny, he sometimes found himself unable to see past the face she presented to the world. Then every so often, she’d allowed him a few glimpses of the deeper Penny. Like today on the mountain. She’d been incredible, of course, and he’d found himself wanting to get to know her even more.
And then he’d discovered her mother was Geneva Queen. One of the most well-known, most sought-after actresses in Hollywood. He kept going back to the fact that Penny hadn’t told him. Hadn’t trusted him enough to let him in on that little fact after a year and a half of friendship.
Talk to her.
“Hey, guys,” he said, “I’m going to take off and get that paperwork done.” He squeezed Julianna’s shoulder. “Text me updates, okay?”
“Sure thing.”
Holt grabbed his bag containing his sodden uniform and hurried after Penny just in time to see Mike Bishop step around the corner toward them. Penny stopped, her body rigid. Mike pulled to a halt, his eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared. He brushed past her without a word and Penny whirled. “You’re not supposed to be here.”
He ignored her and Holt stepped in front of the man. “You were escorted from the hospital. What are you doing back?”
“Not that it’s any of your business, but I left something in my locker. I came to get it.”
“Since you don’t have security personnel with you, I’m going to assume that you didn’t let someone know you were here?”
“No, I didn’t. I’m going to get it and leave. I don’t have time to mess around because, thanks to you, I have to go job hunting.” He snarled that last sentence at Penny, who simply crossed her arms and met the man glare for glare. “Just couldn’t keep your mouth shut, could you?”
“No.” She kept her tone even and Holt couldn’t say how much he admired her restraint. “Not when it was putting people’s lives in danger, I couldn’t.”
The calm tone seemed to infuriate Bishop further, but with one last glare at Holt, he stormed down the hall.
Penny sighed and pulled out her phone. “I’ll call security and alert them that he’s here.”
“Good idea.”
She did, then tucked her phone back into her pocket. “Where are you headed?”
“I said I’d see you home. I plan to do that.” Maybe they’d talk on the way.
“I figured you’d want to stay here with Gus, Julianna, and Marty.”
“I’ll get updates from the others. My main priority is to make sure you get home.”
“Only if you promise to stop at a drive-thru first.”
It was hard to stay upset with her when he wasn’t even sure if he should be—especially when she’d saved his life. Twice. He smiled. “My pleasure?”
“Yeah, that one.”
This time he laughed. He definitely enjoyed her wit. They walked to his SUV, and once they were buckled in and on the way to the restaurant, he glanced at her. “I’m curious.”
“About?”
“How long have we known each other?”
She frowned. “You know as well as I do it’s been a little over a year and a half. Why?”
“And never once did you think you could trust me with who your family is or that you’d spent time in juvie?”
She swallowed and Holt turned his attention to driving. “It wasn’t anything personal, Holt. It’s—” She sighed and palmed her eyes. He almost felt sorry for asking, but . . . eighteen months and she couldn’t talk to him? He couldn’t allow his heart to get any more entangled with hers until he knew she’d be willing to share with him.
Like you’ve shared about Zoe with her?
He shut that voice down. That was different.
How?
He wasn’t sure, but it was. It had to be. Somehow. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.” If she didn’t feel like she could trust him, his heart was going to be broken once more. His fingers tightened around the steering wheel.
“I was a very rebellious teen—for various reasons,” she said, her voice low, “but mostly because I felt invisible to my parents, who had no clue what to do with me. In addition to that, I had some trauma in my childhood. Add that to my sister’s death, and I had so much anger, I didn’t know what to do. Long story short, I wound up in court and was sent to juvie.”
“Is that how you know Julianna so well?”
She gaped at him. “You know about that?”
“Yeah, she’s pretty open about her time there and why she was there, but she never mentioned you. I know you guys are from the same area, so it’s not a far-fetched deduction that it was a possibility.”
“Huh. Well, it’s not a secret, but not something I advertise, either.”
“Like being Geneva Queen’s daughter?”
“No, like I told Dr. Kirkpatrick, that was definitely a secret.”
“And you felt like you had to keep it from me?”
“Yes. No. I just—” A low groan. “It wasn’t that I don’t trust you. I simply don’t like talking about my past.”
“But that’s what couples do, Penny. They talk. About their past, their present . . . and their future.”
She went thoughtful while he ordered the food. Once they were en route again, she handed him a waffle fry and continued to study him.
“What?” he finally asked.
“Are we a couple? Because while we’ve gone out a few times and talked on the phone some, you’ve never indicated that I was more than a friend.”
He hadn’t? Quickly, he scanned his memory. “Sure, I have.”
“When?”
“When we went out for dinners and—” Had he been so worried about scaring her off that he’d not made his intentions clear? “Do you want to be more than friends?”
She drew in a breath, then let it out slowly. “I don’t know, Holt. I’ve thought about it because I always enjoy spending time with you, but we live in different states. We have crazy schedules. How would it work?”
“I don’t know.” And that thought depressed him. Which meant he had a lot to think about. “Can you finish your story about juvie and we’ll worry later about how to make a relationship work if we decide that’s what we both want?” If that’s what she decided she wanted. He knew what he wanted—at least he thought he did, before tonight. But he wouldn’t push her. Better to back off now and let her process everything. And find out what else he didn’t know about her.
She gave a small laugh. “Yeah, sure. So . . . I was only there for eight months, but it was the worst eight months of my life. And the best.”
“How does that work?”
“The worst is probably self-explanatory. The best is because that’s where I met Mrs. Gibbs and the others.”
“Mrs. Gibbs?”
“She was the psychiatrist on my block. She was about sixty years old and didn’t take anything from anyone. She was also a Christian. The first genuine Christian I’d ever met. I hated her at first, but she eventually won me over.”
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